Ex-prosecutor to testify on marijuana law changes

A former U.S. attorney for Arizona is scheduled to testify in the Arizona House against a bill that would allow medical marijuana seized by police to be destroyed.

Mel McDonald is also a former Maricopa County prosecutor and believes the bill already approved by the Senate undermines the state’s voter-approved medical marijuana law. The House judiciary committee takes up the bill Thursday.

McDonald’s son uses medical marijuana to relieve nausea caused by drugs he uses to treat epilepsy.

Sen. Michelle Yee’s bill allows police to dispose of medical marijuana seized during a criminal investigation even if they find it was legally possessed.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona opposed the measure during a Senate committee meeting before it was approved.

4 comments

Wow! A former Maricopa County Prosecutor and former United State Attorney for the District of Arizona and a former drug policy advisor to Ronald Reagan supports Arizona’s medical marijuana law and also thinks the state legislature is overstepping its bounds.

If that isn’t a powerful message to the prohibitionists, I don’t know what is.

I remember back in the day that “conservative” also meant “smaller government.” I sure hope our so called “conservatives” in the legislature remember this also.

This bill proposed by Senator Yee is a VERY slippery slope. It basically grants police the power to seize property and not return it EVEN if no crime was committed and no charges are filed. Senator Yee says that due compensation will be paid if the parties are found innocent. Good luck with that. The innocent party will have to hire lawyers and sue the state to receive such just compensation.

Think about what powers this grants to the police. A police officer could pull you over for a suspected crime. He could then seize your vehicle and the state would not require that it is returned to you. What happens if the police suspect that a crime has been committed in your home? Do they seize your home also?

This whole bill is ridiculous. Yee should be embarrassed to propose granting such power to the police.

I can tell you exactly where this comes from. Senator Yee was lobbied VERY hard by the County Prosecutors (aka Bill Montgomery) and she wants to appease them. Shame on Yee for being fooled into sponsoring such a foolish bill.